Cartier introduces a double innovation with the 2021 release of the Tank Must
Cartier introduces a double innovation with the 2021 release of the Tank Must - a faithful interpretation of the Maison’s rectangular watch with a forward worldview
THE CARTIER TANK is anything but square. Born in 1917 from the creative mind of legendary jeweller and founder Louis Cartier, Tank was inspired by the design of a combat
vehicle viewed from above and, since its launch, has broken the mould of conventional round watch design and continuously spawned many notable and refreshing variants (e.g. Tank Asymétrique, 1936 and 2020), capturing the likes of such style icons as Yves Saint Laurent, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Jackie Kennedy.
Inseparable from his Tank, Andy Warhol once said, “I don’t wear a Tank watch to tell the time. Actually, I never even wind it. I wear a Tank because it is the watch to wear!” By refusing to wind his watch, the leader of pop art sanctifies the timeless elegance of the Tank.
TANK MUST: CLASSIC MEETS CONTEMPORARY
The cornerstone of the long-standing collection is the Tank Louis Cartier (1922), being the most referenced model of them all with its softened angles and distinctive rounded tips on the horns. It has been reinvented in 2021 into the Tank Must, a fusion of two Cartier icons: on one hand, Tank, essential and dandy, and on the other, Must, a name immortalised at Cartier in the 1970s that revisits the classic conventions of luxury.
“The Must watches are part of the Maison’s heritage and legend. They have withstood the test of time thanks to their instantly recognisable style, but also their excellent craftsmanship, which Cartier applies to all its creations right down to the smallest detail,” explains Pierre Rainero, director of Cartier Image, Style and Heritage.
Taking direct inspiration from the Tank
Louis Cartier, the design of the Tank Must has been developed to bring the historic model up to modern times while remaining faithful to its original design, featuring characteristically rounded brancards and revisited dial proportions. A watch that dares to return to great classicism down to the smallest detail, with a precious pearled cabochon winding crown and the return of a traditional ardillon buckle on the leather strap version. A watchmaking classic from the Maison whose sophistication is measured on every level, from its steel strap with curved links, entirely redesigned and interchangeable, to the latest high-efficiency quartz movement with autonomy that lasts up to approximately eight years.
SUSTAINABLE INNOVATION
Since the very beginning, Cartier’s watchmaking ambition has been driven by technical progress as well as a deep commitment to both people and the environment. The latest sustainable innovation is found in the photovoltaic dial on the Tank Must, a modern alternative with a quartz movement that harnesses the power of light, without the need to change the batteries.
The Manufacture has succeeded in applying the photovoltaic principle to the Tank watch’s dial, without altering its aesthetic. A true technical feat that relies on the delicate and invisible perforation of Roman numerals, whose openings allow solar energy to reach the photovoltaic cells hidden under the dial.It took two years for the development team to integrate this SolarBeat movement, with a lifespan of over 16 years, into the Tank Must, the first watch to benefit from this technology.
In addition, the watch also introduces vegan straps produced in an innovative material that guarantees a high level of both quality and comfort. It is composed of around 40% plant matter, produced using waste from apples grown for the food industry in Switzerland, Germany and Italy. The production procedure represents a step forward in preserving the environment by reducing our carbon footprint (six times less), saving water (up to 10 litres) and energy (up to seven megajoules, or approximately 80 smartphone charges) compared to the manufacture of a calfskin strap.
HOMAGE TO THE EIGHTIES
With the launch of the Must watches in
1977, Tank was made available in a vermeil version. With a burgundy or all black dial and a large gold-coloured logo, it freed itself from traditional watchmaking codes, opting instead for elegant simplicity. Faithful to the spirit of the 1980s, the new Tank Must watch is available in three monochromatic colours that are embedded into Cartier’s DNA: red, blue and green. Favouring minimalist dials with no Roman numerals or rail tracks, the watches come in stainless steel and a fully chromatic look with matching straps.
TANK LOUIS CARTIER: ENRICHED BY COLOUR
The new Tank Louis Cartier cultivates its timeless elegance in a choice of two hallmark colours of the Maison: an intense red and a bright blue that further highlight the watch’s pure lines. Cartier has added sophisticated details to these two precious versions, including Roman numerals and gold-coloured rail tracks, which help to enhance the dial’s graphic intensity. The blue version comes in pink gold, and the red in yellow gold, both coordinated with matching straps and powered by a manually-wound Manufacture 1917 MC movement.